Hurricanes Lack Push Back Without Key Defender

Through the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Carolina Hurricanes lacked pushback. So much of their game was well played: they outshot the Florida Panthers, scored on a power play opportunity, won more face-offs, and for stretches controlled the pace. It didn't matter in the end, as the defending champions pushed and bullied their way to a decisive 5-2 victory.

As the Hurricanes' coach, Rod Brind'Amour, asserted after Game 1, there were parts of his team's game to like despite the lopsided defeat. One glaring issue is how the Panthers imposed themselves on the Hurricanes, especially in the offensive zone. The precision and anticipation of Jaccob Slavin were neutralized, and the remaining blue line struggled to get back in the fight against the dogged Florida forecheck. It made the absence of Jalen Chatfield all the more important for Carolina, as the team's energy and physical leader recovers from an undisclosed injury. Their head coach spoke about his impact following the loss.

"When you lose key players, it's hard to win," Brind'Amour said. "He's a top-four d-man that logs a lot of minutes that we don't have a replacement for. Not having him is going to hurt."